


Tony Stark Does Not Need This Shit

by alba17



Series: Marvel Shipping Games Ficlets [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Drinking, Friendship, Gen, Hangover, M/M, Making Up, POV Outsider, Tony Stark Has A Heart, super soldier roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 07:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2642876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alba17/pseuds/alba17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was morning. He was in the living room. Lying on the couch. With <i>someone’s</i> metal arm clamped around his waist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tony Stark Does Not Need This Shit

**Author's Note:**

> For marvelshippinggames' Bonus Round, inspired by a prompt from Texts from Last Night: (973) Coffee is gods way of saying go ahead, get absolutly trashed on weeknights, I got your back.

Meetings. The thought flooded through Tony’s sluggish brain that the coming day involved lots and lots of meetings - where he had to be presentable and coherent and wear a suit. He groaned and cracked an eye open to see crisp morning light already shining through the plate-glass windows of Stark Tower.

It was morning. He was in the living room. Lying on the couch. With _someone’s_ metal arm clamped around his waist. He looked over at HYDRA’s former greatest asset, under whose shoulders his arm was trapped. Lanky brown hair fell over his face, his mouth was open and great honking snores wheezed out of his nose. He looked utterly defenseless and frankly, adorable. Tony sighed heavily. 

What the heck had happened last night? He tried to remember. His foggy brain screamed for coffee but he couldn’t seem to move or do anything. Even so, the events of the night before filtered into his groggy consciousness. 

Earlier in the day, Steve and Bucky had had an hour-long confab in Bucky’s apartment in Stark Tower. Shouting could be heard. Steve had stormed out with a look that said ‘don’t ask,’ muttering something about how he wasn’t coming back until Bucky saw sense. 

Fucking super soldiers and their super angst. It was like a soap opera around here. Tony’s still not sure how Pepper convinced him it was a good idea to let the Winter Soldier stay here. Granted, it _was_ the safest place for him to recover, given the mess out there with SHIELD and HYDRA. Anyway, Tony couldn’t deal with Cap’s sad, pleading face, so here he was, trapped by a cyber arm and a head full of cotton, dying for a cup of coffee. 

After Steve’s abrupt disappearance yesterday, Bucky hadn't emerged until Pepper lured him out with his favorite Thai take-out. Sullen and silent, he’d wordlessly shoveled noodles into his maw as Pepper and Tony traded looks.

“Hey, wanna tell us what happened with Cap? It takes a lot to get the big guy angry.”

Bucky stared at Tony with heavy eyes, then forked up more noodles.

By now Tony’d gotten used to Bucky’s mostly silent presence. Although lately he’d begun to talk a bit more, hanging out with Tony as he puttered in his lab, expressing an interest in the mechanics of his metal arm and Tony’s inventions. They’d grown companionable. But apparently not companionable enough. It took Pepper’s deft touch to finally coax it out of him. Pepper talked to him softly and after awhile, it started to come out.

“Steve’s an idiot, is what.” Bucky grumbled through a mouthful of food.

“Tell us something we don’t already know,” Tony said. Pepper glared but he paid that no mind. “Like why he stomped out of here with his ass on fire.” 

Bucky stared at him, eyes spitting. “He said I’d be better off without him.” He chewed. “That I need a fresh start without someone reminding me of how things used to be, of…the old Bucky.” He swallowed and took another forkful. “I told him he was a jerk and it was up to me, not him, how to regain my memories.” 

Tony could see Cap’s point in a way. Bucky had made a lot of progress, but he wasn’t quite there and nobody knew if he was ever going to completely regain his old identity. He wasn’t surprised that Steve was taking the blame, thinking it was all his fault somehow. 

Tony shared a glance with Pepper. “Weellll. Maybe that would actually be a good idea, to have a break. Make some new memories?” he added weakly, seeing Bucky’s expression turn even more unhappy.

Bucky didn’t take well to that notion. He ranted a bit about how Steve always sacrificed himself without thinking about how other people might feel about it. He didn’t want Steve to go away. He didn’t go as far as to say he _needed_ Steve, but it was obvious how he felt. 

Tony and Pepper tried to calm down Bucky - well, Pepper more than Tony, Tony was mostly there to provide comic relief. Eventually Bucky regained his composure and Tony steered the conversation around to the huge number of ethnic restaurants in New York compared to Bucky’s day. Bucky had traveled the world but not exactly as a tourist. He hadn’t had a chance to try many different cuisines and was surprisingly keen on Asian food. Pepper fancied herself somewhat of a foodie and got Bucky to promise to come with them to try a new dim sum place in Queens she raved about.

Tony suggested some brandy to smooth out the edges. It might not have much effect on Bucky, but the ritual of pouring, sniffing and sipping might be soothing. Besides, Tony could use a glass or two after dealing with super soldier angst for the last few hours.

Apparently a glass or two had turned into something a lot more epic. This morning the bottle on the coffee table was mostly empty. Tony groaned at the sight. That explained the vise-like headache. He really needed some coffee, but he didn’t want to disturb Bucky’s peaceful sleep. It was hard to believe he’d been a vicious robo-killer. You could still see the boy in his features and Tony was reminded that he was really only his late 20’s. A baby. With a killer metal arm and god knew what other deadly enhancements to his biology. They were still trying to figure all that out.

Bucky’s eyes popped open. He looked around confused and wordlessly grunted, then flopped his head back down on Tony’s chest.

“I hate to say it, big boy, but I’m gonna have to get up soon. Daddy’s got work,” Tony said.

Bucky shifted and pulled his arm off Tony. “Gah. Sorry. Did we spend the night here?” 

“Looks like it. Last thing I remember was trying to get JARVIS to play porn on the big screen. I think Pepper installed some kind of special permission code. She’s sneaky like that.”

Bucky sat up and perched on the edge of the sofa, pulling his t-shirt back into position. “Where’s Steve?”

Tony rolled his eyes and stretched, limbs freed. Naturally the first thing Bucky would ask about was Steve. “No, snowman, he didn’t. I think he said he was going back to D.C.”

Bucky slumped. “Oh.” He rubbed his forehead and sighed.

“You know what we need?” Tony clapped his hands. “Coffee. And lots of it. JARVIS! Get the coffeemaker going and while you’re at it, tell me about the meetings I have today. Can I get the first one rescheduled? It’s going take me awhile to get my brain in gear.”

JARVIS’ cultured voice assented. 

“Good. That’s taken care of. Now, do robo-men get hungover? I always wanted to ask.”

In answer, Bucky hid his head in the couch’s comfy pillows, laying his legs on Tony’s thighs. Tony sighed and gave up on further movement, leaning back and letting his eyelids close, arms on Bucky’s ankles. “When the coffee’s ready, JARVIS, let me know.”

“I certainly will,” JARVIS replied.

*

An hour later, Bucky was ensconced at the kitchen counter with a giant, steaming mug and Tony was handing him a plate of scrambled eggs when Steve appeared, carrying a white take-out bag.

Bucky stiffened but started in on his eggs, not looking at Steve. 

“Oh ho, Capsicle returns. Thought you went to D.C.?” Tony asked.

“Nope, just needed to get my head together. Spent the night at Natasha’s.” Steve walked up to the counter. “Brought you creme brûlée donuts from the Doughnut Factory, Bucky. Your favorite.”

Bucky grunted and continued eating.

“Also a vente Starbucks dark roast. Black.”

Bucky stilled and put his fork down, finally looking at Steve, who put the bag on the counter next to Bucky with an air of apology.

Tony glanced between them as they stared at each other. “Okay, maybe I’ll just take my coffee and see what Pepper’s up to.” He filled another mug for Pepper, grabbed his own and started for her office. If he knew her, she’d already been working for a few hours and could use a break. As he looked back, he saw Bucky grinning at Steve as he pulled the donuts and coffee out of the bag. Steve sat down on the stool next to him, all hesitancy gone. He laid one hand on Bucky’s thigh and leaned in to whisper something into his ear. 

Tony smirked, glad to have something good to report to Pepper to offset last night’s overindulgence. Apparently sugar and caffeine were the way to a super soldier’s heart. Who knew?


End file.
